Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 281, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 December 1917 — FOIL PARIS COCHERS [ARTICLE]

FOIL PARIS COCHERS

United States Soldiers Prove Not to Be Easy Marks. * Victimized at First, They Study Regulations and Now Pay Only Legal Rates, Paris.—Paris cabmen have not yet decided whether the American soldiers will prove a welcome or an unwelcome addition tp their patrons. When the men from across the sea first arrived they were all hailed by the cabman as millionaires and the tips they received were in keeping with the reputation thus bestowed upon them. But trust the Paris coCher to kill the goose that lays a golden egg. He practiced his old game of taking the most Indirect route to reach bis destination and never had any change when tendered payment. At night if no policeman was in sight he always balked at taking an American uniform without first extorting a promise to pay a fixed price for the course, which was at least twice his legqltere. The Afnerieans stood this impofettion for a time but finally got tired of being continually bled. Now they give no more than the French as a tip and as they become better acquainted with the city check the wily eabpan when he attempts to take them jby round-

about routes. They have solved the night holdup by climbing into the cab despite the protestations of the cabmen. If it is not later than the hour fixed for him to quit work he must take them at the regular fare where they wish to go or drive to a police station and justify his refusal. As the average cocher wants as little to do with the police as possible, he rarely if ever appeals to them. At One of the ports used by the Americans for landing troops the cabmen charged the soldiers such exorbitant prices that the men went to the police, obtained copies of the regulations governing the cochers and thereafter paid only regular fares, giving no tips. The cochers retaliated by refusing to take American soldiers as passengers, and if the men got into a cab anyhow they stopped dead where they were and, refused to move. It was some days before a compromise was reached.